The image of a heavy blue tarp stretched above a picnic table at a car campground is often the first image that comes to mind when a "dining tarp" is brought up in conversation among backpackers. While many lightweight tarps are on the market, they are primarily showcased as shelters and their other uses are understated, if depicted at all. Often left out of the pack, and understandably so in many situations because of the added weight and limited function, there are certain circumstances where packing a lightweight dining tarp can be an addition – similar to packing an unnecessary but well-appreciated favorite beverage of choice – worth many times its weight.

A backpacking dining tarp can help to provide additional protection for your gear or tent, as well as offering a weather-protected place to prepare and eat meals.

Backpacking with a Dining Tarp

One of my most cherished backpacking memories is of an afternoon spent relaxing beneath a tarp at a subalpine lake in Montana's Pioneer Mountains while a fierce thunderstorm took its time passing through. Rather than retreating to our separate tents to wait out the storm, a friend and I were able to sip wine, snack on a spread of cheese and sliced apples, and watch the storm pass by under the shelter of the tarp. It was a backcountry version of the back porch and allowed us to see sheets of rain strafe the surface of the lake and watch hail bounce off the forest floor. Being able to more fully experience that aspect of nature without being cooped up in a tent was worth every ounce of extra weight.

Every backpacker has a different style and tolerance for discomfort. Some might never find a situation where a dining tarp is worth the extra weight for them. For others, it might depend on the length of the trip, if there is a basecamp, or if the forecast guarantees extended precipitation. While certainly not a must have on all trips, they are undoubtedly an item that can "save" a trip that might have otherwise resulted in the unpleasant (and in bear country, likely unsafe) experience of eating in a tent vestibule in a downpour or a hurried meal prepared and scarfed down during a break in a storm. A few extra ounces can allow you to stretch out and enjoy your meal, the scenery, and the mesmerizing quality of watching it rain without sacrificing anything in the way of comfort.

Taking a dining tarp can definitely elevate the backpacking camp experience.

Final Thoughts and Dining Tarp Options

Since you're not intending for the tarp to serve as a primary shelter, you can typically get away using a smaller size than you might expect. I’ve had good success with an older MSR Wing tarp, and a 5 foot by 8 foot tarp is generally adequate to serve as a dining tarp for two and can double as a minimalist shelter for one during solo trips. Basic A-Frame pitches, with necessary cordage for guying out, using either hitches and / or line tensioners with stakes to secure the lines, are the quickest and easiest methods. However, with some practice and attention to the winds and other terrain features you can rig up a fairly weatherproof structure that provides more of a front porch feel to it without getting wet from windblown rains.

You can find a selection of lightweight backpacking tarp options here at REI Co-op. For the most economical option but the heaviest and most bulky, multi-purpose tarps can be found here at Amazon.com which will be more suited for car camping or short backpacking basecamp style trips. For the ultralight backpacker and the lightest of options, you can find a selection of ultralight Dyneema tarps here at Zpacks.com.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue 37 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here.